Apart Of The World
by TomboyishRandom
Summary: Three Things. Azeana. Part female Nephilim. Part Mortal.
1. Chapter 1

'I'll see you later, yeah?' I shouted out as I watched my two best friends walk off in each other arms. They had hooked up towards the end of last year and have been inseperable ever since. Even to the point of where one won't go anywhere without the other.

I sighed as i walked down the sloping lawn towards the gardener's shed. I wasn't able to afford housing and schooling, so I was told i was able to stay in the garden shed. I fumbled a little as my foot hit a rather hard, heavy something. It was a book.

I looked closer at the title and it began to flicker, from what looked like a few intriquite scribbles to a rather well written English. 'The anointed ones?' I read off of the spine of the book.

'Uh, that's mine', a voice said behind me as a glove clad hand reached over my shoulder and snatched it from my hand.

'Ella, Ella, why so quick to snatch?' I tutted out of nowhere, I didn't know this person, nor did I remember even thinking that, let alone moving my mouth to say that.

'You know me?' she asked, looking at me oddly as I shook my head.

'I don't know you, honest, all I did was pick up the book and then you turned up', I stated worriedly as she just nodded.

'Come with me', she ordered before walking off. I just stood in the same place as I was before, not daring to follow a stranger. The possibilities of what she could do to me are endless. She could rip my skin from my bones, or, or, get a muscular friend who is cute, but an asshole to rape me or…

'Do not worry, the things racing through your mind, I will not do. However I could find you a cute guy, and the feelings will be mutual', whispered someone in my ear as I watched the girl ahead of me stop.

'Stay away from her, Morticai, don't bring her into this', she yelled as I just stood there wide eyed, not sure of what was going on, who was currently nibbling on my earlobe, or who the hell this girl was in front of me.

'I don't see your name on her', he shouted as I turned around and brought my knee up hard and fast to collide with the area most sensitive to men alike.

'I have a name, and I belong to nobody', I shouted at him before spitting on him angrily, 'find your booty call on the corner of Bogan street pal'.

'I think I'm going to like you', I heard the girl ahead of me whisper before she walked off. Now i was intrigued.

'What's your name?' she snapped at me as she pushed me down onto her bed. This was not the best idea I have ever had.

'Azeana', I muttered as she twirled around to look at me.

'Azeana?' she almost whispered, looking between me and the book I had found earlier.

'Yeah, Azeana Fanastcha', I nodded.

'You weren't due yet', she growled, going through a book case of several other books like the one i had found. I looked over at the leather bound book and sighed. The intriquite scribbles were back again, replacing the fluent English.

'What language is that?' I questioned, completely ignoring her previous comment.

'That is the language of the anointed ones', she sighed.

'Looks hard doesn't it', came a voice beside me. I smiled and turned to face the owner of the voice before I screamed and back flipped off the bed, landing with a loud thud and crunch on the floor.

'Must you scare her, Thelma', the rather busy girl scolded.

'I didn't mean too', Thelma sighed, laying on the bed and looking over the edge of the bed at me. 'You may have broken your leg'.

'Thank you for stating the obvious', I snapped, hobbling up and sitting on the bed beside her. I gently placed my leg onto the ground, ever so gently rubbing my hand up and down it slowly. I heard Thelma gasp beside me.

'Ella, are you seeing this?' Thelma gasped, 'Ella?'

'How did you do that?' Ella gaped, as I flexed my newly healed limb.

'I've been able to do it ever since I was a little girl, I can remember the first time I figured it out', I sighed, thinking back to my childhood. 'I fell out of a tree, and the doctors had said I had broken my neck, that I was going to be paralysed from the neck down'.

'If you couldn't move, how did you...' Thelma just rubbed her arm, as if that was explaining what she meant.

'My right arm healed itself, I just rubbed my neck, it was starting to get sore, and the next thing I knew I was just tapping body parts and they'd be able to move again', I muttered, staring at my right hand.

'That's amazing', Ella whispered, completely shocked and amazed at the same time.

'That's better then being dead and perving on people', Thelma laughed, causing me to smile softly.

'Ella…' I muttered, staring at her books again, noticing the titles flickering as I rested my eyes on a new one.

'Hm?' she sighed, turning to me.

'Why do you're books do that?'

'Do what?' she mumbled, turning around and looking at me.

'Flicker like that? Like one will be in English and then when I look back to it, it seems to be a different language', I smiled, staring from her to her books, causing her to gape at me, then her books.

'Who are you?' she whispered, more to herself than me, but I still gave her a funny look.

'Ella?' Thelma whispered beside me.

'I know, Thelma, I know', Ella snapped, snatching her books from her shelf and dumping them out of my gaze. I turned to her, looking like I had just been slapped.

'What… what's going on?' I muttered, as Ella looked around her room for more stuff to hide.

'You weren't meant to turn up yet', Ella muttered, looking from me to a book on her bedside table.

'What do you mean?' I snapped, confused, irritated and slightly worried at the same time.

'You weren't mean to turn up yet, let's just leave it at that, all right cup cake?' Thelma smiled beside me.

'Thelma, are you a lesbian?' I said out right, catching both Thelma and Ella off guard.

'And proud of it!' she burst out, causing me to laugh.

'To bad you're dead', and I smiled wider as I stood up off the bed and turned to Ella. 'I take it you'll tell me what's going on when the time is right, so I'll be going now'.

'Uh, yeah, sure', Ella said looking rather dishevelled.

'Did you just…' I heard Thelma splutter as I walked out the door and down the hall.

'I'm being strangely calm about this', I muttered to myself, before smiling. I was special.

I walked further down the path towards the rather scrubby building at the back of the school grounds. I had seen a blonde haired girl standing there, and strangely enough, she seemed to be staring at me, smiling even.

'Hello?' I called out, as I came closer. It seemed to be an abandoned cremation building or something that was now being used to dump things. Nobody answered me as I moved further in. 'Hello?'

'Azeana?' someone whispered behind me, causing me to jump slightly, twist my ankle awkwardly and fall backwards. I cracked my head onto something hard, I didn't know what.

'Shite', I mumbled, using my right hand to rub my head ever so gently, before seeing to my ankle, not even bothering to see who had called my name. Pain comes first.

'Azeana?' the voice whispered again, this time much closer then before.

'What?' I snapped, looking up into the blue eyes of the blonde haired girl I had seen earlier. 'Who are you?'

'My name is…' she started but something outside of the building stopped her.

'Azeana?' someone was looking for me. But who?

'We'll meet again', she sighed sadly, smiling softly before disappearing without notice. What the hell was going on here?

'I'm in here', I called out, blinking hard and quickly trying to clear my vision.

'What are you doing here?' It was Thelma.

'I saw…' I started to tell her about the blonde haired girl but as soon as I went to say it, it seemed as if I couldn't. Was she not meant to know?

'Bugs? Spider webs?' Thelma smiled, holding her hand out to me. I took it without even thinking and she hauled me up.

'So what are you…' I started to say, but the look on Thelma's face stopped me. She had turned paler, if that was possible for a ghost, and her face had dropped, to one of complete and utter terror.

'How did…' she tried.

'How did I what, Thelma, what's wrong?' I stuttered quickly, grabbing onto her, holding her up. She screamed and stepped backwards, making me jump. 'Thelma, what's wrong?'

She didn't say anything, she just looked at the places I had touched her, then back up at me before, looking back at herself again. It took me a while to figure it out, but when I did, I had about the same reaction as Thelma had had.

I screamed. Thelma screamed. Then we stopped.

'I touched you', she said stupidly.

'I touched you', I repeated, pointing at her.

'We touched each other', we said in unison.

'What does this mean, Thelma?' I asked, getting rather worried now. I didn't want to be dead, and the only way I could touch Thelma was if I was, in fact, actually dead.

'I think we need to talk to Ella', she said quietly, causing me to nod and hold out my hand.

'We _need_ to talk to Ella', I muttered. She cautiously placed her hand in mine and I gripoped it reassuringly, before leading the way back up to the school.

'Ella?' Thelma called out, as we entered her room.

'Not here', I mumbled, letting go of Thelma's hand and making my way further into Ella's room.

'Obviously', she muttered, closing the door.

'What do you think is going on?' I asked, turning to Thelma, who in turn, looked at me with a look that said in few words "I don't know everything you know".

'I think we need to go and find Ella, come on', she ordered, exiting the room, forcing me to follow.

We walked all over the school, even checked the girls toilets and bathrooms several times, but I think that was simply for the fact that Thelma wanted a perve. We made our way into the food hall and found Ella sitting at the middle table reading through a book with a bowl of cereal sitting in front of her.

'We've been looking for you', Thelma snapped, sitting on the table.

'Who's we?' Ella mumbled, not bothering to look up.

'Well, the only other person who can see me, get with it girlie', Thelma mumbled, moving to sit across the table.

'Hey, Azeana', Ella sighed, closing her book and looking up at me as I sat across the table with Thelma.

'We need to ask you something', I mumbled, looking around in case some people were listening in.

'Really? What's that?' Ella seemed rather disinterested today.

'Well…' I started, looking at Thelma.

'Azeana touched me, Ella, I held out my hand and helped her up', Thelma said hurriedly, 'Last time I checked, it's physically impossible for someone alive to touch me, Cassie couldn't'.

'Azeana's different, Thelma, she's not a member of the undead club, but she's different', Ella mumbled, taking a mouthful of her cereal.

'What's that supposed to mean?' I asked in an angry whisper.

'You wouldn't believe me even if I told you, you're not ready for it yet', Ella sighed, annoyed.

'I would like to know', I snapped, glaring at her.

'Don't push me, Azeana, I don't have the patience for this', Ella growled back.

'And I don't have the time to waste on you', I grumbled, standing up and walking off.

'Don't we need her?' I heard Thelma growl at Ella.

'Yes, Thelma, but not yet', Ella sighed back, running her hand through her hair.

'Hello?' I called as I walked into the abandoned building at the back of the school grounds.

'I told you we'd meet again', the voice of the blonde haired girl sounded from further in the building.

'So, who are you exactly?' I questioned, walking around a wall and finding her sitting on the floor against a wall with a bit of clear space. She was smoking.

'Cassie', she mumbled with the cigarette in her mouth.

'Wait…' I mumbled, thinking back to the conversation from this morning in the dining hall.

"'_Azeana touched me, Ella, I held out my hand and helped her up', Thelma said hurriedly, 'Last time I checked, it's physically impossible for someone alive to touch me, Cassie couldn't'."_

'Do you know Thelma?' I questioned pointing at where she had been before; obviously she was not there now. 'Hey?'

'Thelma died before I did', Cassie sighed, sounding rather upset.

'So you are…' I started stupidly, realising that she had just said she was dead in very few words.

'Noticeably', she smiled.

'Where'd you go?' I asked, now realising I was talking to thin air.

'Sorry, I'm still trying to get the hang of this thing', she sighed, appearing back where she had been before, still smoking the cigarette.

'So…' I mumbled awkwardly, adjusting my satchel bag on my shoulder.

'How's Thelma?' she asked me without faulting.

'She's a little creeped out', I smiled. 'She helped me up'.

'Why would she be creeped…' Cassie paused.

'Exactly', I laughed, dropping my bag to the floor and sitting on one of the wooden desks lining the wall.

'How is she apart from that?' she seemed desperate to know.

'Happy to have someone else to talk to apart from Ella, and…' I paused, not sure how I should word it. 'I think she's been upset about somebody, I think… I think it's you'.

Cassie didn't say anything, she just stubbed out the cigarette and looked anywhere but at me. 'What's Ella up too?'

'Ella, well, I really don't know, she seems to fail to tell me anything, keeps saying something about how I'm not ready or something', I snapped, before smiling sheepishly.

'And…' she paused, looking at me out of the corner of her eye. 'Malachi?'

'I don't actually know him', I muttered, seeing her face drop.

'Okay', she said stupidly.

'Can I ask a question now?' I smiled, holding my hand up nervously, feeling rather childish.

'Yeah, sorry, go ahead', she said hurriedly.

'Why are you…' I paused, looking at the floor before looking back at her, 'why are you here?'

'Azazeal', she sighed, as if I was supposed to know who that was, 'by the look on your face you don't know him?' I shook my head, smiling sadly. 'Well, he sent me here to keep an eye on you, on one condition'.

'And that is?' I said impatiently.

'That I am not allowed to see Thelma', she sighed.

'But you can still get messages to her?' I questioned, looking at her, hopeful.

'I don't know', she muttered, looking at her hands.

'Only if she doesn't see her, she can still communicate', snapped a voice from behind me causing Cassie to jump and me to fall unceremoniously off of the desk I was sitting on.

'And you are?' I growled, getting up quickly, a leg of an eaten away chair held out in front of me like it would do some good.

'Azeana, you silly girl', he laughed softly, as I watched Cassie get up out of the corner of my eye.

'Azazeal, I take it?' I smiled, his smile faltered ever so slightly. He sighed softly, picking at the wood falling off of a desk near him, before looking back up to me smiling.

'My Azeana', he purred, 'what has our little friend Ella been telling you?'

'Well…' I started before Cassie interrupted, placing a hand on my shoulder. I wanted to hear what she was saying but I couldn't. A bright blinding light shone in front of me and an excruciating pain flowed through me like the blood in my veins.

I sucked in my first breath of air as I shot up quickly from my position on the floor. Cassie was kneeling beside me, at least a ruler's length away and Azazeal was sitting on a chair at me feet. 'What the fuck was that?' I screamed.

'Cassie is here "illegally" if you will, and you being what you are, you cannot be touched by her or our kind', he explained, hands folded on his lap.

'Our kind, what do you mean?' I asked quickly, moving further away from Cassie smiling nervously at her in a way of an apology.

'Ella really hasn't been telling you much has she?' he laughed, and I watched Cassie roll her eyes.

'Rah, rah', I laughed sarcastically, 'you're victorious, can we now start acting like adults?'

'Touché', he growled.

'Okay, do me a favour; tell me how I can get in touch with you…' I stopped, realising how stupid I sounded.

'Yeah, I'd stop too', he smiled; Cassie tried to hide her laugh.

'Okay, do me another favour; no popping up out of nowhere until Ella's told me her side, Okay? I don't really like all this…woooo, stuff', I said stupidly, waving my arms around, causing me to get rather dizzy and lie back down.

'I can leave you be, but Cassie can't', he muttered.

'And I'm always with Thelma, how is that going to work out for you?' I snapped, rubbing my temples. This was beginning to get frustrating.

'Thelma can't really see me, Azeana', Cassie moaned, 'The only way she'll be able to see me is if she knows I'm there, and again, the only way she'll know that, is if you tell her I'm with you'.

'So how am I supposed to relay the messages?' I questioned sitting up slowly.

'Okay, how does she do that?' Cassie snapped, looking at Azazeal.

'I'm sure you'll work it out, but Thelma must not know that she is following you, got that?' he snapped, pointing at me.

'Got it boss', I winked, clicked my tongue and saluted him before attempting to stand up. 'I've got to get back to school'.

'We'll speak again', Azazeal muttered, as I snatched my bag off of the floor and walked passed him and out of the building.

'What classes are you taking?' Cassie questioned.

'Does you're father need to know that too?' I snapped, looking at her out of the corner of my eye.

'He's not my father', she answered quietly.

'I'm sorry', I whispered, 'I'm not liking the turn my life seems to be taking'. Cassie sighed and nodded.

'If it's any consolation, I didn't plan on dieing?' she smiled sadly at me and I just laughed.

'Well, I'm taking, well actually I don't know, I got given a time table and got told to show up to class', I smiled, and Cassie just looked at me.

'Are you serious?'

'I believe I am, yes, David changes my classes each week, I think my parents requested it', I smiled.

'I don't think I've ever heard of anybody ever doing that before', she mumbled, looking out at the grounds.

'Funny thing is…' I paused, smile fading off of my face, 'I've never actually met my parents'.

'How is that funny?' she grumbled.

'It's not really, but they seem to request all these things for me at school and I've not once met them', I sighed, looking out at the lake.

'Thelma was found in there', Cassie whispered randomly. 'Right there'.

'Really?' I mumbled.

'Yep, although, she was killed somewhere else', Cassie said knowingly.

'Okay, can I ask you something?' I muttered, looking at her.

'Sure'.

'Can we stop talking, I'm not feeling my greatest and this play by play on where people were killed isn't helping', I smiled before looking away.

'Right, sorry'.


	2. Chapter 2

'So…' I said randomly as I sat out by the lake. I had let Cassie drag me out here so we weren't going to be interrupted by Thelma. Thelma was of course inside stuffing her face with food from the vending machine.

'How did you meet Thelma?' she whispered, looking rather down. I sighed quickly before looking back out over the lake. I could see Azazeal walking in and out of the tree's, he didn't seem to be to inconspicuous tonight.

'Does he always do that?' I questioned, indicating out across the lake.

'It was worse when he was following me', she muttered. 'He'd walk out from behind the tree and stand there for awhile before walking back behind it. It was as if he thought he was in a movie or something'.

'How did I meet Thelma?' I sighed again, thinking back to the day where I had first seen her. 'Well, to be completely honest, the day I met Thelma was yesterday'.

'Really?' she smiled. I nodded and smiled sheepishly.

'I was taken to Ella's room, and someone other than Ella talked to me. I shat myself as I fell off the bed', I smiled softly thinking back. 'I swear I shat a brick'.

'Only I or Ella could ever see her', Cassie filled in. I nodded and smiled.

'I broke my leg', I nodded and Cassie nodded at me as if she knew, she probably did, but I didn't put it passed her as I continued on. 'After that moment, I'd never seen Ella so tense. Today at lunch, she was… different. As if nothing had happened at all. She was awfully serene with everything.'

'What do you mean?' Cassie whispered, watching Azazeal pace back and forth across the lake. He wasn't disappearing behind tree's like she had said he would, but he did walk behind them, only to appear on the other side.

'I don't know. You know how she was always going on about her mission how it was her job and she would never give in until she finished, it was her life?' I mumbled, looking now at the rippling the wind was making in the deep dark water of the lake. Cassie nodded beside me.

'Hmm.'

'Today she didn't seem to care, as if her whole… life, had gone out the window as if nothing mattered anymore, as if something had snapped her out of her rant and made her suddenly decided to be normal', I sighed, thinking back to her reaction about me and Thelma having touched each other.

'She'll be back to normal tomorrow', Cassie whispered, looking at me for a quick moment before staring back out to Azazeal again. Were they talking to each other in a way only they could?

'I hope so', I snapped, sounding harsher than I had intended. Cassie sensed my unease about the situation and changed the subject.

'Who's Malachi?' she smiled, looking at the side of my head, waiting for me to return her stare. I didn't.

'Some obnoxious…' I paused. Whenever I thought about what an asshole Malachi was, I immediately lost my train of thought, it was as if I didn't really know him, I lost all thought and all memory of him. Had this been the Cassie back in that abandoned building?

'Obnoxious…' Cassie provided, looking all too eager for me to finish. My eyes narrowed at her response.

'You know Malachi don't you', I said slowly, looking back out to Azazeal who had now stopped pacing and was standing stock still staring in our general direction. Cassie had mentioned Malachi back in that building. There was something between these three, Cassie, Malachi and Azazeal, something I couldn't quite figure out.

'I guess you could say that', she sighed, falling back into her uncomfortable silence.

'How?' I growled out. Her reluctance to talk about anything was beginning to get on my nerves. I had said just about everything in my head too her and she was keeping things. I would not have it.

'Well…' she started, but before she could go any further, Azazeal was in place between us behind the bench.

'Cassie, dear, I think it's about time that we left Azeana to her sleep, do you not think?' he said, always so polite, but stony still.

'How does she know Malachi, Azazeal?' I snapped, standing up and staring at him.

'That is something you'll have to figure out', he snarled.

'If you want your little lap dog here to follow me, day in, day out, you are going to tell me', I grounded out, feeling an almighty surge rush through me. I had had this feeling a few times before, but it was never this bad.

'Calm down now, Azeana', Azazeal whispered. I couldn't hear him, I could barely hear myself as I screamed. I felt him jump at me, I felt his hands and I felt his voice reverberate off of my skin. All went black.

'Wake-y, wake-y', someone whispered in my ear. My nose started to tickle slightly as something ran itself down the bridge of my nose and back up.

'Gerroff', I snapped, struggling to get underneath my doona.

'Nice, get up, Azeana', snapped Thelma.

'No, I grumbled, giving up on the doona and squeezing my eyes together hard. I felt her hand reach around my throat and my eyes snapped open. 'Don't do that, Thelma, you know it's creepy'.

'Sorry', she muttered, 'where were you last night?'

'I went for walk, must of fallen asleep in the grounds somewhere', I laughed as I watched her pull the sticks and grass out of my hair.

'You fell asleep in the grounds… naked?' she asked, as I tore my doona out from underneath her and covered my top half. When did I strip off?

'Get a good eyeful for awhile, did you?' I smirked and I could see her shake her head, she was still smiling.

'Ella wants to talk to you', she said finally and I looked at her. 'She didn't look happy'.

'Damn it', I sighed. 'I'm going to get out of bed now, and I'm hoping you'll be a lady and cover your eyes'.

'Promise', she smiled and I knew she was kidding. I muttered something about her being desperate as I climbed out of bed and headed over to my wardrobe, tearing out a shirt and a new pair of jeans before heading over to my set of draws and tearing out some underwear and a bra.

It was about half an hour later that I turned up at Ella's door. Thelma had decided to continuously steal my underwear, somehow knowing full well that I wouldn't put my jeans on without them.

'Ella?' I called out as I knocked on her door. I heard some shuffling going on inside and I stuck my ear to the door softly. 'Ella…?'

'Come in', she called out quietly, but I still heard it.

'Hey…' I said as I took in her pained expression, 'Thelma said you wanted to see me'.

'Uh, yeah', she sighed, and I watched her expression get worse as she adjusted her seating on her bed. What was going on?

'So, what's up?'

'What were you doing with Azazeal last night?' she snapped; the expression of pain gone in an instant.

'What are you talking about?' I grumbled, glaring at her now.

'I saw you with him out in the grounds last night, you were both getting rather cosy with each other, if my eyes didn't deceive me', he seemed to be smirking now. 'You and he seemed to be rolling around with each other for awhile there, and then I watched him pick you up and carry you back to your room'.

'Ella, I have no idea what you're talking about…' I tried but she just shook her head at me and had the same manic smile she had earlier.

'Don't lie to me, Azeana, the last thing I need is you to be twiddling with him', her manic smiled disappeared quickly as she stood up.

'How about explaining to me what the fuck is going on, and then I might decide for myself who I should be _twiddling_ with', I snapped, shifting my weight to my left leg and crossing my arms over my chest. This whole keeping a secret thing was beginning to get on my nerves, from both Ella _and_ Azazeal.

'Now is not the…' Ella started.

'Now is the right fucking time, Ella, I'm sick of this bullshit, tell me what the fuck is going on', I shouted, the same surge from last night began to rack through my body.

'Calm down, Azeana, I'll tell you', Ella called out, hands out in front of her, 'Please, just calm down'.

My eyes snapped shut as another surge shot through my body, this time knocking me off balance. What was going on?

I took a sharp intake of breath as I felt and heard my leg snap with an almighty crack. I tried to scream out as I fell backwards, but the same roar reverberated back. I could hear Ella screaming at me, but again, everything went black.

I squeezed my eyes tight as I felt a shot of cold water hit my face. 'Will she be okay?' it was a man's voice and I closed my eyes as tight as I was able to.

'It happened last night, so the effects weren't as bad, but…' it was Ella.

'Now will you tell me?' I grounded out as I felt the pain shoot up from my leg. I guessed I had tried to move.

'I'm going to, as soon as you heal yourself', she muttered.

'Help me up and we can get talking', I sighed, it was then that I felt the full force of the pain of my leg hit me. I was being hoisted up. 'Thanks for the warning', I spat as I opened my eyes slowly.

'Sorry', I heard Thelma mutter.

'Who's he?' I asked rudely, indicating to the guy standing beside Ella.

'That's Leon, he's in our English Novelist history class', Ella slurred as she bent down and straightened my leg out.

'Hey, Leon', I muttered, leaning down and resting my right hand where my leg seemed to be the size of a tree trunk. 'What did you hit me with?'

'I didn't hit you with anything…' Ella laughed. I glanced up at her before looking at Leon who seemed to me staring at me guiltily.

'What did he hit me with?' I smirked; looking away from him quickly to make sure my leg was going down. It was.

'Cricket bat', he said simply, shrugging, before looking back at me guiltily.

'It was a fair thwack', I groaned as my leg went slowly down. I was left with a little scar running thinly and horizontally across my shin.

'I'm sorry...' he said sarcastically.

'Nice, so what's he doing here?' I asked, turning back to Ella.

'I could ask you the same thing', he seemed offended.

'Leon's…' Ella hesitated before answering. 'Complicated'.

'Leon's involved with…' and I indicated between her and a rather awkward looking Leon in the corner. It was then that I watched Ella look back at him, almost as if she was saying sorry.

'No, he's just a really good friend, that's all', the pain on Ella's face was almost as bad as the pain I had seen when I first walked in. Leon was more than a friend, but Ella wasn't willing to admit it. Leon was too…normal.

'Care to share with me now, what the fuck is going on?' my quick change of attitude and vocal pitch shocked both Ella and Leon, but Ella was quicker to recover from it.

'No', she stated finally, as if that was the end of it.

'Don't do this to me Ella, I swear to god', I shouted, standing up instantly, looking as if I hadn't been sitting down in the first place. Ignoring the spinning in my head, I glared intensely at the pair standing in front of me.

'Swear to god for what, Azeana?' and she just smirked at me. Crossed her arms and smirked.

'I swear to god if you do not tell me what is happening here, I will go to another fucking resource', I snapped, 'I know I'm just being used here, but I would love to know what for, and whether it's worth my time to play along'.

'It's definitely worth your time', Leon shouted out, being braver than he looked.

'Oh really?' I scoffed, not really sure whether he was telling the truth or simply just trying to get back into Ella's good books. Either way, I didn't like it one bit. I took a small step back before tearing my sights away from Leon and onto Ella. 'Bad decision, Lovey, bad decision', and I just shook my head before heading towards the door.

I heard it before I felt it. I heard the squishing of my skin melt under the fire that began fairly soon afterwards. I felt the tremors begin again, like they had earlier, and the night before. This time they were more violent, more painful than I could remember. It felt like my head was going to explode and something was trying to tear out of me.

A dull thud barely broke through and before I could attempt to control myself, the world went black, everything went dull, except for Thelma. She stood there, glowing like an angel. I laughed softly at that as the thought of what she would say shot through me.

The pain dulled slightly as I continued to stare at her. She was crying. Tears rolling faster and faster down her cheeks the more she cried out, but I couldn't hear what she was saying.

'Thelma?' I choked out. I regretted instantly. Thelma disappeared and as if they hadn't been open at all, my eyes flung themselves open and I was staring at a rather strange ceiling. 'Thelma!?' I screamed, sitting up dead straight, taking in my surroundings, while being flustered.

'I'm here, love, I'm here', she whispered to me, but I couldn't yet see her. I felt a hand slip into mine and I relaxed instantly, even though I wasn't sure it was even hers.


	3. Chapter 3

'So…' I said randomly as I sat out by the lake

'So…' I said randomly as I sat out by the lake. I had let Cassie drag me out here so we weren't going to be interrupted by Thelma. Thelma was of course inside stuffing her face with food from the vending machine.

'How did you meet Thelma?' she whispered, looking rather down. I sighed quickly before looking back out over the lake. I could see Azazeal walking in and out of the tree's, he didn't seem to be to inconspicuous tonight.

'Does he always do that?' I questioned, indicating out across the lake.

'It was worse when he was following me', she muttered. 'He'd walk out from behind the tree and stand there for awhile before walking back behind it. It was as if he thought he was in a movie or something'.

'How did I meet Thelma?' I sighed again, thinking back to the day where I had first seen her. 'Well, to be completely honest, the day I met Thelma was yesterday'.

'Really?' she smiled. I nodded and smiled sheepishly.

'I was taken to Ella's room, and someone other than Ella talked to me. I shat myself as I fell off the bed', I smiled softly thinking back. 'I swear I shat a brick'.

'Only I or Ella could ever see her', Cassie filled in. I nodded and smiled.

'I broke my leg', I nodded and Cassie nodded at me as if she knew, she probably did, but I didn't put it passed her as I continued on. 'After that moment, I'd never seen Ella so tense. Today at lunch, she was… different. As if nothing had happened at all. She was awfully serene with everything.'

'What do you mean?' Cassie whispered, watching Azazeal pace back and forth across the lake. He wasn't disappearing behind tree's like she had said he would, but he did walk behind them, only to appear on the other side.

'I don't know. You know how she was always going on about her mission how it was her job and she would never give in until she finished, it was her life?' I mumbled, looking now at the rippling the wind was making in the deep dark water of the lake. Cassie nodded beside me.

'Hmm.'

'Today she didn't seem to care, as if her whole… life, had gone out the window as if nothing mattered anymore, as if something had snapped her out of her rant and made her suddenly decided to be normal', I sighed, thinking back to her reaction about me and Thelma having touched each other.

'She'll be back to normal tomorrow', Cassie whispered, looking at me for a quick moment before staring back out to Azazeal again. Were they talking to each other in a way only they could?

'I hope so', I snapped, sounding harsher than I had intended. Cassie sensed my unease about the situation and changed the subject.

'Who's Malachi?' she smiled, looking at the side of my head, waiting for me to return her stare. I didn't.

'Some obnoxious…' I paused. Whenever I thought about what an asshole Malachi was, I immediately lost my train of thought, it was as if I didn't really know him, I lost all thought and all memory of him. Had this been the Cassie back in that abandoned building?

'Obnoxious…' Cassie provided, looking all too eager for me to finish. My eyes narrowed at her response.

'You know Malachi don't you', I said slowly, looking back out to Azazeal who had now stopped pacing and was standing stock still staring in our general direction. Cassie had mentioned Malachi back in that building. There was something between these three, Cassie, Malachi and Azazeal, something I couldn't quite figure out.

'I guess you could say that', she sighed, falling back into her uncomfortable silence.

'How?' I growled out. Her reluctance to talk about anything was beginning to get on my nerves. I had said just about everything in my head too her and she was keeping things. I would not have it.

'Well…' she started, but before she could go any further, Azazeal was in place between us behind the bench.

'Cassie, dear, I think it's about time that we left Azeana to her sleep, do you not think?' he said, always so polite, but stony still.

'How does she know Malachi, Azazeal?' I snapped, standing up and staring at him.

'That is something you'll have to figure out', he snarled.

'If you want your little lap dog here to follow me, day in, day out, you are going to tell me', I grounded out, feeling an almighty surge rush through me. I had had this feeling a few times before, but it was never this bad.

'Calm down now, Azeana', Azazeal whispered. I couldn't hear him, I could barely hear myself as I screamed. I felt him jump at me, I felt his hands and I felt his voice reverberate off of my skin. All went black.

'Wake-y, wake-y', someone whispered in my ear. My nose started to tickle slightly as something ran itself down the bridge of my nose and back up.

'Gerroff', I snapped, struggling to get underneath my doona.

'Nice, get up, Azeana', snapped Thelma.

'No, I grumbled, giving up on the doona and squeezing my eyes together hard. I felt her hand reach around my throat and my eyes snapped open. 'Don't do that, Thelma, you know it's creepy'.

'Sorry', she muttered, 'where were you last night?'

'I went for walk, must of fallen asleep in the grounds somewhere', I laughed as I watched her pull the sticks and grass out of my hair.

'You fell asleep in the grounds… naked?' she asked, as I tore my doona out from underneath her and covered my top half. When did I strip off?

'Get a good eyeful for awhile, did you?' I smirked and I could see her shake her head, she was still smiling.

'Ella wants to talk to you', she said finally and I looked at her. 'She didn't look happy'.

'Damn it', I sighed. 'I'm going to get out of bed now, and I'm hoping you'll be a lady and cover your eyes'.

'Promise', she smiled and I knew she was kidding. I muttered something about her being desperate as I climbed out of bed and headed over to my wardrobe, tearing out a shirt and a new pair of jeans before heading over to my set of draws and tearing out some underwear and a bra.

It was about half an hour later that I turned up at Ella's door. Thelma had decided to continuously steal my underwear, somehow knowing full well that I wouldn't put my jeans on without them.

'Ella?' I called out as I knocked on her door. I heard some shuffling going on inside and I stuck my ear to the door softly. 'Ella…?'

'Come in', she called out quietly, but I still heard it.

'Hey…' I said as I took in her pained expression, 'Thelma said you wanted to see me'.

'Uh, yeah', she sighed, and I watched her expression get worse as she adjusted her seating on her bed. What was going on?

'So, what's up?'

'What were you doing with Azazeal last night?' she snapped; the expression of pain gone in an instant.

'What are you talking about?' I grumbled, glaring at her now.

'I saw you with him out in the grounds last night, you were both getting rather cosy with each other, if my eyes didn't deceive me', he seemed to be smirking now. 'You and he seemed to be rolling around with each other for awhile there, and then I watched him pick you up and carry you back to your room'.

'Ella, I have no idea what you're talking about…' I tried but she just shook her head at me and had the same manic smile she had earlier.

'Don't lie to me, Azeana, the last thing I need is you to be twiddling with him', her manic smiled disappeared quickly as she stood up.

'How about explaining to me what the fuck is going on, and then I might decide for myself who I should be _twiddling_ with', I snapped, shifting my weight to my left leg and crossing my arms over my chest. This whole keeping a secret thing was beginning to get on my nerves, from both Ella _and_ Azazeal.

'Now is not the…' Ella started.

'Now is the right fucking time, Ella, I'm sick of this bullshit, tell me what the fuck is going on', I shouted, the same surge from last night began to rack through my body.

'Calm down, Azeana, I'll tell you', Ella called out, hands out in front of her, 'Please, just calm down'.

My eyes snapped shut as another surge shot through my body, this time knocking me off balance. What was going on?

I took a sharp intake of breath as I felt and heard my leg snap with an almighty crack. I tried to scream out as I fell backwards, but the same roar reverberated back. I could hear Ella screaming at me, but again, everything went black.

I squeezed my eyes tight as I felt a shot of cold water hit my face. 'Will she be okay?' it was a man's voice and I closed my eyes as tight as I was able to.

'It happened last night, so the effects weren't as bad, but…' it was Ella.

'Now will you tell me?' I grounded out as I felt the pain shoot up from my leg. I guessed I had tried to move.

'I'm going to, as soon as you heal yourself', she muttered.

'Help me up and we can get talking', I sighed, it was then that I felt the full force of the pain of my leg hit me. I was being hoisted up. 'Thanks for the warning', I spat as I opened my eyes slowly.

'Sorry', I heard Thelma mutter.

'Who's he?' I asked rudely, indicating to the guy standing beside Ella.

'That's Leon, he's in our English Novelist history class', Ella slurred as she bent down and straightened my leg out.

'Hey, Leon', I muttered, leaning down and resting my right hand where my leg seemed to be the size of a tree trunk. 'What did you hit me with?'

'I didn't hit you with anything…' Ella laughed. I glanced up at her before looking at Leon who seemed to me staring at me guiltily.

'What did he hit me with?' I smirked; looking away from him quickly to make sure my leg was going down. It was.

'Cricket bat', he said simply, shrugging, before looking back at me guiltily.

'It was a fair thwack', I groaned as my leg went slowly down. I was left with a little scar running thinly and horizontally across my shin.

'I'm sorry...' he said sarcastically.

'Nice, so what's he doing here?' I asked, turning back to Ella.

'I could ask you the same thing', he seemed offended.

'Leon's…' Ella hesitated before answering. 'Complicated'.

'Leon's involved with…' and I indicated between her and a rather awkward looking Leon in the corner. It was then that I watched Ella look back at him, almost as if she was saying sorry.

'No, he's just a really good friend, that's all', the pain on Ella's face was almost as bad as the pain I had seen when I first walked in. Leon was more than a friend, but Ella wasn't willing to admit it. Leon was too…normal.

'Care to share with me now, what the fuck is going on?' my quick change of attitude and vocal pitch shocked both Ella and Leon, but Ella was quicker to recover from it.

'No', she stated finally, as if that was the end of it.

'Don't do this to me Ella, I swear to god', I shouted, standing up instantly, looking as if I hadn't been sitting down in the first place. Ignoring the spinning in my head, I glared intensely at the pair standing in front of me.

'Swear to god for what, Azeana?' and she just smirked at me. Crossed her arms and smirked.

'I swear to god if you do not tell me what is happening here, I will go to another fucking resource', I snapped, 'I know I'm just being used here, but I would love to know what for, and whether it's worth my time to play along'.

'It's definitely worth your time', Leon shouted out, being braver than he looked.

'Oh really?' I scoffed, not really sure whether he was telling the truth or simply just trying to get back into Ella's good books. Either way, I didn't like it one bit. I took a small step back before tearing my sights away from Leon and onto Ella. 'Bad decision, Lovey, bad decision', and I just shook my head before heading towards the door.

I heard it before I felt it. I heard the squishing of my skin melt under the fire that began fairly soon afterwards. I felt the tremors begin again, like they had earlier, and the night before. This time they were more violent, more painful than I could remember. It felt like my head was going to explode and something was trying to tear out of me.

A dull thud barely broke through and before I could attempt to control myself, the world went black, everything went dull… except for Thelma. She stood there, glowing like an angel. I laughed softly at that as the thought of what she would say shot through me.

The pain dulled slightly as I continued to stare at her. She was crying. Tears rolling faster and faster down her cheeks the more she cried out, but I couldn't hear what she was saying.

'Thelma?' I choked out. I regretted instantly. Thelma disappeared and as if they hadn't been open at all, my eyes flung themselves open and I was staring at a rather strange ceiling. 'Thelma!?' I screamed, sitting up dead straight, taking in my surroundings, while being flustered.

'I'm here, love, I'm here', she whispered to me, but I couldn't yet see her. I felt a hand slip into mine and I relaxed instantly, even though I wasn't sure it was even hers. I felt the thumb of the hand I held, run itself over the top of my hand and I felt myself sigh and instantly relax that little bit more.

'What happened?' I whispered, feeling slightly empty, as if something that had made me… me, had been taken.

'Don't worry about that now', she shushed, softly kissing my head and running her hand softly through my hair.

'If you say so', I mumbled, a warm smooth feeling creeping its way into my system, starting from the tips of my toes and fingers, till it joined it's counterparts in the centre of my chest. I repeated myself slowly, 'if you say so', before the warm feeling decided to cloud my brain, slowly shutting it off from the outside world, and forcing me into a peaceful slumber.


End file.
